Saddle



.July'zz. 1930.

H. MESIINGIER 1,771,095

SADDLE Filed @ug. 14. 1928 2 Sheets$heet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 22, 1930 HENBYMESINGER, or new YORK, 1v. Y.

SADDLE -App1ication filcd August 14,1928. Serial No. 299,435.

This invention relates to improvements in saddles; especially saddles or seats for motorcycles and similar vehicles. 7

An object ofthe invention is to, provide a saddle which comprisesrelatively few parts, is strong and durable, inexpensiveto manufacture, and designed toafford a comfortable seat to the rider. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a saddle comprising a body and a cover which can be. readily assembled; the cover being securely attached but removable at will for replacement, repair, or any other pur' ose. i

p A further object of the invention is to pro vide a saddle having a cover which engages the body but is free to adjust itself thereon under the ridersweight, so that the cover. can

be stretched to advantage and theisaddle as a whole becomes more resilient an'dfgives a decidedly superior cushioning effect.

The nature of the invention is to set forth in the following description taken with the drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment thereof, but .I reserve the rightto make any changes in the shape, sizeand arrangement of parts which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims.

On the drawings,- I gure 1 is a bottom view of thesaddle according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22' of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the'direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a bottom .plan of the bodyofthe saddle without the cover. j Y

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout. i i

Numeral 1 indicates the body of the saddle which comprises layers of suitable material such as stoutileather, these layers being illustrated at 2 and 3 and being stitched together along their edges, as shown at l. The body may have the usual shape being generally triyangula-r with a forward. extension 5,the'sides of this extension being curved inward to a certain extent. The body 1 also-comprises a plate (Sat the rear; the layers 2 and 3 being attached to the sides and back of this plate by means of rivets 7. The plate has rounded ends and curves outward at the back to corre spond in shape to the layers 2 and 3, and its forward edge may be indented somewhat and be provided at the middle with a reinforcing rib 8, as indicated in Fig. 1. The plate 6 is further madehollow or dished on top. This plate serves to stretchand brace the layers 2 and 3 in a lateral direction. Theselayers are provided in the middle with protuberances 9, and through both the layers 2 and 3 Within the area of the protuberances 9 are apertures 10. The protuberances 9 may be formed by stamping or molding theleather in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The plate 6 may have threaded studs 11 riveted or otherwise attached thereto adjacent the opposite ends or sides thereof. These studs may have squared ends 12fittinginto apertures in the plate 6 to prevent them from turning and this plate may also have at "its rear edge inthe middle and adjacent the two ends thereof threaded eyelets 13. The front end ofthe extension 5 has an anchorage plate 14 secured by rivets '15, passing through both thelayers 2 and 3, and this anchorage plate may have a couple of extensions 16 projecting towards the plate 6. Theextension 5 is curved transversely, as shown in Fig. 3; being convex on top and concave on its lower face, and the plate 1 1 will be similarly curved and so will the fingers 16.

The body comprising the layers 2 and 3 with the stiff plate 6 is mounted upon a support in the form of a stretcher-frame 17 in the form ofa rod bent to give the frame a generally triangular shape as indicated in Fig. 1. Thesides of the frame will have projections 18 which receive the threaded studs 11 so that the rear lendof the frame can. be

secured to the saddle at its opposite ends;

19. These endsmake contact with the under concave faces of the fingers 1G and are engaged at their extremity by means of a cap 20 through which passes a screw 21 between the ends 19. This screw has a notched head in front of the cap 20. It passes through this cap and lies between the ends 19 of the frame 17 and has a screw-threaded engagement with a head 22. This head 22 also lies between the extremities 19 of the sides of the frame 17 and it has a flange 23 which is dis posed between the bottom layer 3 of the body and the fingers 16. The head 22 also has a threaded stud 24 to receive a washer 25 and a nut 26. Obviously by tightening the nut 26 the ends 19 of the sides of the stretcher-frame 17 can be gripped between the washer 25 and the fingers 16 of the plate 14, and by turning the screw 20 the distance of the head 22 from the front extremity of the sides of the stretched-frame can be adjusted as desired. The screw 21 determines the distance between the cap on .the front ends of the stretcherframe and the head 22 and the nut 26 can of course be tightened to grip the ends 19 of the frame against the fingers 16 at any point along .the length of these fingers. Thus the layers 2 and 3 of the body 1 can be drawn toa greater or less extent so as to be tautened in a longitudinal direction, and I regulate the degree to which layers 2 and 3 of the body saddle are stretched between the brace-plate (3 at the rear and the anchorage plate 14 in front.

Similar nuts 25 and washers 26 can be employed in connection with the threaded studs 11 to grip the portions 18 of the frame 17 and secure the saddle to the frame at those points.

The cover for the saddle comprises a sheet of leather or the like 27 which is to be the top of the cover; and to the lower face of-this sheet 27 and around the edge thereof I stitch a rim 28, the stitching being shown at 29. The cover is put in place bytelescoping it over the body. This cover has the general shape of the body 1, and its narrow forward part is provided on its lower face with a strap 30 at one side having eyelets 81, and with a fastening strap 32 having a knob fastener 33 on theopposite side. The forward part of the cover thus can be fastened around the forward extension 5 of the body and drawn as tight as one wishes by forcing the knob member 33 of the fastening device into the eyelets of the socket fasteners 31. On the :lower face of the cover I may place a cushioning pad 3 1 of felt or some other material, the edges of which are overlapped by the rim strip 28. This pad 34: has a recess in the middle to correspond in shape with the pro tuberances 9 of the layers 2 and 8, and the top layer 27 of the cover will have apertures to register with the apertures 10. I can slit or cut the rim strip 28 at the sides of the cover where the cover is widest and the rim the cover will be perforated to permit the endsof the threaded eyelets 13 topass therethrough. The presence of the cuts or slits 3G facilitate putting the cover on the body, and divide the rim strip 28 into several portions which can be bent outward to allow the body to be forced beneath the rim strip all around the edges of the cover. lrVhen the cover is to be attached, the stretcher-frame should preferably be taken off. Then the cover may be attached by turning the portions of the rim strip 28 outward as far as possible so that this rim strip can be slipped over the different portions of the edges of the body. Then the rim strip 28 is turned down fiat against the lower layer 23 and the studs 11 are passed through the openings in the strip 28 adjacent out flat under the riders weight and makes a much more comfortable seat.

If one desires the threaded eyelet 13 can be engaged by means of studs 37 and by these studs together with washers 25 and nuts 26 a back rest 38 of suitable shape and height can be secured to the rear of the saddle. This back rest can be put on .or taken off as the rider may wish.

The saddle is mounted by suitable means on the frame of the motor-cycle, being secured to the sides of the frame 17 in the usual way with a saddle of this description. The point of engagement of the body 1 with the ends 19 of the sides of the stretcher-frame can be adjusted as desired; and the cover, while securely attached to the body, is still free to assume an advantageous position on the body when the rider is seated upon the saddle; and because of the method of mounting the cover as above described, the manufacture, assembling and dismounting of the parts ofthe cover are greatly facilitated.

I claim:

1. A saddle comprising a substantially rigid body structure having a cushioning ..T..

material superimposed thereon, and a renewable flexible top sheet constituting a unitary part of the saddle extending over said cushioning material and means attached to the marginal edges of said top sheet extending inwardly under said body structure and movable relative to the top sheet to detachably retain the latter in assembled relation with the body structure of the saddle.

2. A saddle comprising a substantially rigid body structure having a cushioning material superimposed thereon, and a renewable flexible top sheet constituting a unitary part of the saddle extending over said cushioning material, means movable relative to said top sheet and attached to the latter at its marginal edges to extend inwardly under the body structure ofthe saddle, and means carried by the body structure engaging said marginal means of the top sheet to detachably retain said top sheet in assembled rela' tion with the body structure of the saddle.

8. A saddle comprising a body and a cover therefor, the cover comprising a top layer having a rim strip attached to its lower face, the rim strip being slit adjacent the sides of the cover, and means carried by the body for engaging the rim strip adjacent the slit portions thereof.

i. A saddle comprising a body having a central extension in front, a dish-shaped plate extending across its rear, and an anchoring plate attached to said extension, the extension being concave on its lower face and the anchoring plate being similarly shaped, studs carried by the plate at the rear of the saddle, a stretcher-frame for the body and secured at its opposite ends thereto by said studs, said frame having sides extending forward beneath said extension, the anchoring plate having fingers extending rearward to engage the front end of the sides of the frame, a part for clamping the front ends of said frame to said fingers, a cap engaging the front ends of the sides of said frame, and a screw passing through the cap and engaging the clamping part to adjust the position of the latter and regulate the longitudinal stretching of the body.

5. A saddle comprising a body and a removable cover therefor, the cover comprising an outer top layer having an attaching strip secured to its lower face and a cushioning pad on its lower face, the edges of which are overlapped by the strip.

6. A saddle comprising a body, said body consisting of one or more layers stamped to provide protuberances on the top of the body adjacent the middle, with openings there through, and a cover having a cushioning pad recessed adjacent said protuberances, with openings to register with the first named openings.

7. A saddle comprising a body having a plate extending transversely at the rear end thereof, the body having an extension on its front and said extension being convex on its top face and concave on its lower face, an anchoring plate secured to the lower face of the extension, a stretcher-frame attached to the plate at the rear of the body and secured at its front end to said anchoring plate, and a cover to envelope the body, the cover having fastening straps at its front end to pass beneath the extension on the body and secure the front of the cover in place.

8. A saddle comprising a body having a central extension in front, the body having a transversely-extending stretcher-plate at the rear, an anchoring plate secured to the extension, a stretcher-frame attached at its sides to the stretcher plate and secured to the anchoring plate,'and a cover for the body, the cover having a rim strip on its lower face which is attached to the stretcher plate at the opposite ends thereof, and having means at its front end to secure it around'said extension.

9. A saddle comprising a body of two 01' more layers of sheet material, a stretcher plate secured to the lower face of the body at the rear and extending from side to side thereof, the body having a central extension in front which is convex on top and concave on its lower face, an anchoring plate secured to the lower face to the extension, a stretcherframe attached to the stretcher plate at the opposite sides of the body and having sides extending forward and adj ustably secured to the anchoring plate, a cover comprising a top layer having attached to its lower face a rim strip extending around the edge of the cover, the cover receiving the body with the rim strip overlapping the lower face of the body, the rim strip being slit at the opposite sides of the coverand being attached to the body adjacent the sides of the stretcher-frame, and fastening straps carried by the cover to enable the front of the cover to be secured around said extension.

10. The saddle according to claim 9 where in the cover contains a cushioning pad, and the center of the cover and body are provided with registering openings.

11. The saddle according to claim 9 wherein the stretcher plate has threaded eyelets and the rim strip of the cover has openings through which said eyelets may project to enable a back rest to be attached to the cover.

12. The saddle according to claim 9 wherein the front end of the sides of the stretcherframe are engaged by adjustable means to clamp it to the anchoring plate so that the stretching of the body longitudinally of the saddle may be regulated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

HENRY MESINGER. 

